


A Chance to Change

by WitchWayWizardry



Category: Final Fantasy XIII-2
Genre: Bathroom Sex, Consent is Sexy, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mentor/Protégé
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-11-13 17:41:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11190093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitchWayWizardry/pseuds/WitchWayWizardry
Summary: A one-shot erotic episode between Caius Ballad and Noel Kreiss before Caius began his war against the Goddess Etro, and Noel was transported through time.





	A Chance to Change

Just like every other day of training, Noel experienced momentary weightlessness as the force of Caius' blow sent him skyward. The sensation of pulling free of gravity's grip was forgotten in the bracing pain that roared through his body. Noel uttered an agonized cry as he landed on his back; fortunately, the grip on his dual blades didn't falter.

"Get up."

It was the same command. Always the same. Caius would wait patiently, impossibly massive sword stuck in the dirt, arms crossed until Noel either didn't move or refused. Always the same. It was almost rehearsed after all this time.

Noel struggled to lift his head, peering at the imposing armored warrior in the distance. He figured he had about two minutes before Caius would command that he rise again. Noel refused to give Caius the satisfaction. He'd lasted longer than any sparing session in the past. Caius wanted him up, then he was going to get up.

Every muscle screamed from the wracking fall; Noel ignored them all, gritting his teeth as his magically sharpened blades scraped the barren, crystal sand covered, ground.

Eventually, without a word or sound of discomfort, Noel rose on shaky legs, lifted both sword and piercing blade, and stared at his opponent. The royal purple of his hair and armor seemed to burn with raging fires in the afternoon sun. Caius' emotions were unreadable, as usual, but a hand gripped the monstrous purple blade in preparation. 

"AaaaaaaaaAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

Noel uttered a mighty shout as he rushed Caius. The bang of blade meeting blade was singular and muted. But Noel's exhausted swing was blocked aside, and he collapsed into Caius' arms.

"Good," Caius whispered, "You got up. You never have before. In order to protect her, you must always get up; no matter how much it hurts, you must get up. Now you know you can. Now you know you will."

Caius spoke to his pupil, and held a hand bathed in a shining light to Noel's bruised body. The warm radiance of the Cure spell, felt like the affections of the Goddess Etro Herself. As his injuries mended through Caius power, Noel drifted into unconsciousness wondering if Caius was really as solid as he felt, or if it was just the armor.

\-------------

Yeul was doing her chores, humming a little tune, a sad tune, as she vigorously scrubbed the dishes. She had had no visions of the future in almost a year. Nothing to be seen or experienced except for a barren, lifeless, desolate world until the end of time. Until all that was left would be Valhalla. All that would remain is the Invisible Realm; the Land of the Dead.

Still, Yuel had hope. How many times had she foreseen a horrific and seemingly unavoidable end? And how many times had that future been changed? Every time. It was a pretty good track record, all these millennium considered.

The muted sound of footsteps and heavy dragging brought Yuel out into the twilight bathed courtyard. Caius was coming home, and so was Noel with dinner, but the approaching figures were new and somehow expected. 

Yuel had seen this. Caius dragging a prized behemoth, his sword still plunged through its neck, and Noel carried carefully on Caius back. Another vision was coming true, and the coming events brought a happy smile and sad tears. So, Caius would soon begin his inevitable war, Noel would be dragged through a tragic voyage through time, and Yuel would be dying soon.

Dying again.

Funny after countless lifetimes, Yuel still feared death, but only to a point. The promise of living again was exciting enough to drown the anticipatory fears.

Yuel walked toward her two guardians, brushing the tears away like dirt.

"Hey, you two," Yuel said, "You brought dinner?"

"Don't we always?" Caius inquired with a joking smile.

"Looks like Noel overdid it."

"He did," Caius nodded, "But he has improved greatly."

"Take the catch into the house," Yuel turned back to the aforementioned abode, "I'll start cleaning it for dinner. Why don't you and Noel wash up?"

After over nearly four thousand years of protecting so many Yuels, Caius was normally privy to her pointed statements. But, regardless of his immortality, Caius was tired after a long day too. With a hopeful smile, Yuel wished that one more night, one with love, might deter Caius' blooming rage.

She mouthed a silent prayer to Etro, knowing Her Eyes had not changed their vision, that at the very least, Yuel's two friends could at least know happiness. For one more night.

\---------------

Caius lay Noel down on a bench within the Farseer's communal bathing hut. Or what was once communal. The ravages of time and a nomadic lifestyle, not to mention the attacking monsters, had taken a serious toll. Looking at the youth's slumbering form, Caius wished he could remember a mortal sleep. Dreams are so much more vivid and beautiful when you have only a few short years of life to enjoy them. Noel's tussled brown hair was tickling his nose; his head and skin twitched involuntarily to get it off. Caius took pity and plucked up the lock, running his fingers over Noel's cheek as the hair was tucked away.

"So young," Caius whispered.

Caius collected the bathing water from the conjoined well. He lifted the sweat-drenched headband, decorated with battle trophies and Farseer tribal beads, and shook his wild mane of violet hair. Bucket after bucket, he filled the basin for Noel's bath. The sloshing sound of liquid on metal did nothing to interrupt Noel's soft snoring. Caius smiled as the last bucket was emptied into the bath and Noel murmured in a dream.

"Usul..."

Usul was a girl who passed to Etro’s Domain before Noel was even twelve. A pretty girl, wise beyond her years, she was Noel's dearest friend. They had both learned from Teacher Beith, Noel's grandmother. It was no secret Noel loved Usul, and she him. At least Noel shared one kiss with his childhood sweetheart before she passed through Etro's gate. Caius' smile saddened as his thoughts turned to the mysterious plague that claimed Usul, Teacher Beith, and the rest of the Farseers. It had happened so fast. Leaving only three people left in the world.

"Powers of Chaos, bend to my will," Caius chanted in a whisper, "Bring warmth where there is none. Flames of Bahamut erupt your glow."

Fire surged through Caius' fingers, dancing over the bath water. Once it was warmed, Caius looked at his young protégée. He thought of their trainings and how unfair it was to train one so young.

Sighing, Caius began to loosen the knots and buttons that held Noel's clothes together. The fabric of his tunic was light, by warm. One of Yuel's finest. The leggings were too baggy for any true warrior, but Caius allowed the youth his freedom, however fleeting. The shoes slipped off and the loincloth slid down narrow hips, bringing a pronounced tan line around Noel's groin and buttocks into view. Once the boy was naked, Caius set the filthy garments by the bathing hut's door to wash later. Caius stretched ancient and stiff joints as he turned to put Noel into the bath. He stopped and he looked on.

Noel was still so young. Caius could remember a time when the young did not have to be so hard to survive. Even on Gran Pulse, life was easier in centuries past. 

Noel's body was a man's; he was covered in hard muscle. The exertion from their training was taking what was lean and made it strong. He was covered in scars, some more healed than others and subtle oddities from mended bones brought another shaky sigh from Caius. So young. And much older than he should be.

Caius lifted Noel into his arms, but instead of rousing the young man, Noel snuggled into Caius' chest, breathing softly. The Heart of Chaos beat a little faster in Caius' chest, watching Noel smile contently in his sleep. Standing there, the evening sun shining on Noel's tanned skin, Caius was feeling something that was foreign to him after centuries.

Noel still didn't wake when Caius laid him gently in the steaming bath. Noel just stayed asleep, his head resting on the rim of the bath, mouth partially open from the heat. Caiuslooked at that mouth, with lips that we're so often widened in a smile. Noel was such a happy young man, to ruin that would be next to sacrilege, but Yuel and her safety would always come first.

Caius moved to the other end of the small hut, and placed the wooden partition between the two bathing tubs for privacy.

\---------------

Noel roused awake at the sound of the bathing partition setting in place. He blinked past the dreary haze to settle deeper into the warm water, marveling at the feel of clean water caressing his freshly healed body. The sparring match and Caius' words praising his success came to Noel's mind as movement drew his attention.

Through the space between wooden planks, Caius was disrobing. With his back turned, Caius began to unclip and unfasten the binds of his clothing. From his neck to his torso, the skin tight battlement fell to the floor with a heavy thud. Noel's eyes widened not just from the realization that Caius was carrying the equivilant of several hundred pounds at all times, but that his back looked like it was carved from ivory.

His body was solid muscle, ripples and contours that could be traced all along his back, over his shoulders, and across his perfect arms. Caius shook his curtain of black-purple hair over his back and the end of that luxurious mane brushed the raised muscular mound of his backside. Caius' pants seemed to melt away as he bent low to peel them off. Noel hoped and wished to Etro the Merciful that he would turn around, just once.

The Goddess was kind that evening. Caius turned and in the final rays of the sun, Noel saw a god. He gulped harshly as he watched a trickle of sweat disturb a patch of dirt smudged on Caius' chiseled jaw. He ran his eyes across over inch of skin, every pulsing muscle, every vein that signifying a man of strength. He marveled at how Caius chest moved as he stretched, how his abdominals contoured and transformed their appearance with his every movement. When a narrow waist drew Noel's eyes down to Caius' manhood, Noel forced himself to look away.

Caius was his teacher, the guardian of the Seeress. He had no thought but of protecting Yuel. She was like his daughter, and he like her father. She was both of their priorities. And besides, Noel dreamed of Usul almost every night. Of their only kiss, and what it could have led too. There were no women left in the tribe, so all Noel had were his dreams. Yuel would always be like his sister; he could desire nothing else from her. 

And certainly not Caius. Noel blinked hard, trying to forget the sight of that sizable appendage that hung between Caius' legs as he turned and stretched. 

Noel knew the customs of the Farseers. Love was love. Love could bring new life into the world, or love could strengthen friendships. Loving a man was not frowned upon, only taking someone against their will was considered criminal. But Caius would never.

Noel remembered the campfire lit nights of his youth, when he and his brother and his father and his neighbors would gather to hear Caius' stories. Epic tales of adventure and of war. There were also stories of love. Passionate, frenzied recounts of lovers and their pleasures that sent the older men home to their wives. Noel touched himself for the first time, imagining one of Caius' histories. Noel always imagined the man making such incredible love to those women to be Caius. He knew the man couldn't be Caius, unless Caius was immortal, which was impossible. Still, the man in the epic recounts of love always carried the same monstrous blade as Caius.

The sounds of water splashing and dripping pulled Noel's attention back to his peeping. Caius' back was to Noel again. He held a ladle over his head letting the steaming water cascade down, through his beautiful hair, down and through the valley of muscle that made up his spine. The tiny rivers converged to trickled over and through the twin mounds of rock-hard bottocks before finally ending their trek over perfectly strong and stable legs. Legs that would spark the desire of any man or woman who lived.

But, no, Caius wouldn't. Never. He would never violate their mentor-student relationship. It was foolish to even think of it. The humiliation and embarrassment; it should have been enough to stop his thinking. But it wasn't.

Stepping out of the tub and tiptoeing through puddles left by his feet, Noel peered around the divisor. An unobstructed view made Caius all the more handsome, and unapproachable. Caius felt Noel's eyes on him and turned unashamed.

"You're awake," Caius' rumble sounded so melodic, "How're you feeling?"

Noel looked at this god among men. He thanked Etro for giving him the courage to step forward.

Caius watched his pupil step from behind the wood and start advancing slowly. Caius' attention was drawn to the pulsing erection that bounced slightly with every step Noel took.

"I’m fine," Noel answered.

Noel's eyes burned with a man's hunger, igniting a fire within Caius that had nothing to do with his Eidolon. Seeing the young man, wet and glistening, still with sleep in his primal eyes, made him look positively beautiful. Noel stepped closer.

"You did well," Caius growled.

"But not well enough?" Noel's voice had a delightful lilting innocence.

"There's always more to learn," Caius watched the slightly shorter man draw closer and closer.

Noel stopped when they were toe to toe. His erection lightly brushed and tickled against the black-purple hair on Caius thighs.

"Will you teach me?" Caius breathed.

"Everything I have," Caius leaned closer, "I'll give to you."

Noel rose up on his toes, and barely, tentatively, pecked Caius' lips. He pulled away. Not a moment passed before Caius pressed down a little harder before ending their second kiss. Then the two warriors flew together. Lips pressed so hard they could feel each other's teeth. Tongues danced and played, sending sparks flashing behind closed eyelids. Hands caressed faces and tangled themselves in each other’s hair. The sound of harsh breathing echoed and amplified the feelings that burned to life between Caius and Noel.

Muffled names passed between pressed lips and hands found their way lower as Caius' manhood rose to match Noel's. In the past, Caius had taken fellow warriors as lovers but for over seven centuries only women had shared his bed. This passion was unlike any he'd felt since his mortal years. For Noel's sake, Caius had to be gentle. 

Lifting the youthful lad, Noel wrapped his strong legs around Caius' powerful waist. Caius brought them both to the bench where he had undressed Noel. Laying him down, without breaking their kiss, Caius laughed as Noel gasped at the cold wood on his bare back.

"Study closely," Caius whispered against Noel's neck, "You need to experience so that you can learn."

Noel's breath brought gasps of pleasure and wanton lust as Caius kissed and licked and gently bit his way down Noel's neck to his collarbones. Caius licked and suckled Noel's nipples, causing his back to arch toward Etro's Gate hidden in the night sky. As Caius used his tongue to trace the bricks under the skin of Noel's abdomen, he gently teased Noel's member with delicate fingertips.

"Oh!" Noel exclaimed, "Caius!"

Looking up at Noel's face in ecstasy, Caius saw teeth biting at lips. They were so longing to continue their kiss, but something better was on its way. Caius snaked a hand to travel along Noel's chin before his middle finger entered the warmth of Noel's mouth. The hard teeth, the moist sensation and the soft tongue that cradled Caius finger occupied his mouth's need for attention; Noel whimpered with desire as he sucked and licked and worshiped the older man's digit.

Grinning at Noel's pleasure, Caius opened his mouth hovering over the young man's quivering organ. Caius' tongue slowly lowered to lick and encircle the head of Noel's cock. Noel's head flew back and his eyes fluttered as did his voice when Caius licked, teased, and almost swallowed the youth's phallus whole. Pleased at how easily the skills returned to him, Caius continued to stare up at Noel, watching him squirm with tears in his eyes. 

"Goddess, Caius," Noel whimpered.

Noel's hands were cautious as they wrapped themselves in Caius' radiant purple locks. But so, it was as if they were trapped, Noel luxuriated in the tresses texture. Noel watched as his length vanished into Caius' mouth only to reappear, throbbing and glistening. Suddenly, there was a burning in Noel's gut and his breathing heightened. His lips flapped without a sound, until the final moments. Caius could feel the other man's shaft harden even more at the approaching climax.

"Caius," Noel finally whispered, "I'm, I'm..."

In response, Caius brought all of Noel into his mouth, his tongue running along the length. Noel's soundless orgasm exploded into Caius' mouth. Again and again, while Noel's hard body quivered and shook. When the rupture ended, Noel's shaking and mewling did not.

To calm his breathing, Caius kissed his lover and matched their breathing together. Knowing the boy still saw stars, Caius was patient. Suddenly, Noel's surprising strength forced Caius to land on the floor. Noel straddled his mentor, eager to show what he'd learned.

Noel looked at Caius with an animal instinct. The smile in his face was anything but tired. With his own wicked grin, Caius forgot the pretense of gentleness and leaned up to capture Noel's mouth. The kiss was temporary as Noel pushed Caius back down.

Noel took his lesson to heart; he licked and kissed and bit at Caius, but Noel must have liked the biting an awful lot. He sank his teeth against the impossibly hard muscular frame of the older man, causing feral growls to echo out of Caius' throat. Noel was inspired to drag his nails down Caius, trailing along the ridges and paths of pure animal strength. Caius flashed a primal smile laced with pleasure and laughed as Noel tried to swallow Caius erection, but came back coughing.

Noel shook his head and focused on the task at hand. He would prove he'd learned well; make Caius proud. Gingerly, but with purpose, Noel pleasured his lover the way he remembered. Eventually the phallus was manageable and when Noel approached adeptness, he surpassed. Lightly dragging his teeth along the head of Caius' phallus was enough to waken the dragon inside.

It wasn't Bahamut that took command, but Caius, full of erotic fire. Without effort, Caius seized Noel and flipped them both about. Caius blanketed Noel on the cement floor; hand over hand, strong arms draped over strong arms. Caius nuzzled Noel's mop of chocolate hair and dragged his form over and across every inch of Noel's back. Noel barked rather like a puppy, desperate and hungry for more. Caius breathed into Noel's ear, hissing through bared teeth.

"Do not move."

Noel dragged his nails across the bath hut floor, and uttered a gasp of thrilled laughter when Caius brushed his tongue over Noel's entrance. Noel's breathing and prayers of praise to Etro grew more fevered and higher pitched. Caius reveled in the smell of Noel. Musky, still wet from the bath water and from Noel's arousal. Noel's grinding into Caius' face, intensifying the licking and the probing. Caius ravaged the relentless opening of muscle, feasting on the pleasures of youth. Caius' tongue worked its way deeper and deeper until Noel shot a glance back with pleading eyes.

Taking the silent request, Cauis licked his thumb till it dripped and felt it slide into the impossibly tight and furiously hot opening of Noel. With a whimpered cry of pain, Caius quickly grabbed Noel's chin with his free hand and kissed his shout silent. He was gentle now; Caius knew that finesse and care needed to be taken here. This kind of pain could become incredibly pleasurable; it just takes time and talent.

Noel's eyes were clenched shut, but his breathing eased and he twitched and tingled as Caius did his work. First, with his thumb, then with two longer fingers. Loosening, licking, and stretching the young man. Caius ran his fingers along Noel's muscular form, not surprised to feel the lad's reawakened member fully erect once more.

Then, Caius found the spot, the hidden place in men, so like a woman’s, which can drive a man to sexual madness. Brushing it with the tip of his longest finger, Caius smiled when Noel jumped and a look of confusion covered his sweaty face. Caius pressed a little harder and kissed Noel hard to muffle the involuntary shout that burst from Noel's mouth.

That shout became words; Noel was speaking, or at least trying to, through the sensation.

"I, I want you," Noel begged, "Please!"

There was no doubt, no room for questioning; the desire electrified the darkened room. Knowing that there was no such thing as too much preparation, Caius quickly lathered his manhood and poised near the opening, shut tight once more. Noel continued to silently mouth his pleading, but once Caius kissed the base of his neck, Noel braced himself and breathed.

Pushing past the stubborn hole took time, not wanting to hurt the young man. Then, without warning, it relented, swallowing the tip of Caius' phallus and pushing a winced shout from Noel. Taking it agonizingly slow, Caius pushed. He rocked, pushing in and pulling out, hissing at the sheer vice-like hold Noel had on him. It felt like he'd wrapped his member in hot coals, but no burning had ever felt so incredible.

Noel was breathing through his hisses of discomfort; it took time, but soon Noel was rocking in a slightly faster motion against Caius' hips. The rocking built and built and sped up to a furious frenzy. Sweat ran over their faces and dripped down their bodies. Caius growled and yelped while Noel moaned and screamed as Caius pounded away. Hands scrambled about, flesh and hair was gripped and caressed. The burning passion seemed to only grow and grow.

Caius bellowed a heavy breath and fell back to lay on the floor. Even with shaking legs, Noel didn't release Caius' manhood and he spun to face his laying lover. Noel was too weak from the day of training to bounce for long. Still, the sensation of taking charge and watching Caius' eye roll back in their sockets was almost enough to bring the young warrior over the edge. 

Noel bent low and kissed Caius. On his lips, his nose, his Adam's apple, and whatever beautiful sweaty lock of purple that was in his reach. Under the kissing assault, Caius rose to sit up, holding Noel in place. Together they rocked, in a lotus embrace, looking into each other’s eyes, kissing so passionately that the erotic waves become second nature. They lost themselves, and they became the pleasure they shared.

But, all things must end and Caius could feel its approach. Lifting Noel gently off of him, Caius brought his and Noel's hands to touch and vigorously bring about Caius' end. The stream that erupted into the air carried Caius' call of release. And as the drops found their way to the floor, Caius lost himself in the ecstasy, heart racing, knees weak, and buttocks clenched tight.

The two warriors locked eyes, and after a time of heavy breathing and moaning sighs, Noel moved as if to stand. But Caius reached up and seized his young ward.

Noel yelped when he realized that the night wasn't over yet. Caius pulled him down to sit between his impossibly muscular legs. Noel pressed harder against his mentor's exquisite form as the hands that so expertly wielded the Eye of Bahamut, began to pleasure Noel's manhood once more. Noel relished the feel of Caius' hard chest on his back. Letting Caius work his magic, Noel ran his hands on every piece of Caius he could touch. The fatigue that swept over Noel not moments ago was forgotten under the wave of anticipatory adrenaline that promised perfect release. Noel convulsed against Caius, he wriggled about as the older man's kisses tickled his flesh. He could feel it coming. Goddess, it was coming!

The two warriors collapsed the ground; they were locked in an embrace of companions. 

Was there love? Yes. 

Romantic love? Would it come to anything? That is harder to say. 

But as the immortal and the last human on Gran Pulse held each other, the future did not matter. The only thing that did was sleep and dreaming of the night they had just shared.

\-----------------

Yuel peaked her head into the bath hut after the noises went away. She found them cuddled together, naked and dirty again, with Caius arms protectively around Noel. Their shut eyes showed no sign of dreaming, but a content smile played on both their lips. Yuel matched their smiles and draped the large quilt she’d brought over both her dearest friends. She silently thanked Etro. Maybe there was a chance after all.

As Yuel turned to leave the two slumbering lovers, she felt a wave of dizziness creep up on her. Holding herself with will and experience, she only let the vision take her strength to stand once she was outside. She would not let her fall awaken her protectors. This was a vision Caius did not need to know. The glyph of Etro transposed Yuel's eyes and she saw the timeline.

 _Noel in the past, fighting alongside a beautiful pink-haired girl and a funny, floating moogle. They soared through the channels of Time, they righted the wrongs that threatened to tear the two worlds apart. Noel and the girl: Serah. Fighting Caius and speaking with another Yuel. Noel traveling through time. Back and forth, to and fro. They would do good things._

_Etro's throne room in Valhalla, another gorgeous pink-haired woman stood before the Goddess. She reached out and remembered her part in the Day of Ragnarok. Goddess and her knight became one, for an instant. Etro's loneliness and her love filled Valhalla and every cell of this woman warrior. A single tear fell before she was transformed into a brilliant and beautiful warrior goddess. She would fight Caius. Forever. Fated._

_Caius fought this woman, again and again. Winning and losing. Losing and winning. Forever. Until the convergence._

Yuel saw it all. She saw the end. Such a terrible end. Beginning with her birthday. 

Her birthday only a few days away. 

_Noel would slay a behemoth on his own. Fueled by the strength shared with Caius this night. Caius would demand the contest of Guardianship and be refused. Yuel saw herself die, felt death again. Time Travel. Noel fighting Caius. Caius' war ending._

One night of shared friendship wasn't enough.

But there, at the end. There was something.

_After Chaos swallows the visible world. After the Goddess Etro dies. The beautiful pink-haired Valkyrie emerges from her crystal slumber, standing alive once more in a barren world. Only, it isn't barren, it's changed. There was still a chance then, beyond her vision's sight, of a world where everyone has the chance to smile._

_That woman… Claire? No, Lightning. She will light the path; she will find the way. Yuel had faith in this. Hope, she would bring hope where there would be none. But not for a very long time. A very, very long time._

Yuel shakily rose to her feet. She brushed the vision aside; she would store it in the Oracle Drive tomorrow. Right now, she had a meal to prepare. 

“Noel and Caius would most certainly be hungry when they wake,” Yuel murmured to herself with a sad smile.


End file.
